Help! How to 'fit' a shotgun...

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fishheadjohn

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I've been shooting for over 30 years.
I fill a couple of deer tags every fall and chase the odd draw moose, but am primarily a shotgun enthusiast.
Presently I have a 870 Wingmaster.
I grew-up shooting my father's shotguns: Cooey 840; Rem 11-87; Win 101 and a Browning S/S.
Of all of these shotguns, I recall the #101 as being the most pleasing to shoot.

I am presently considering the purchase of a 'nice' O/U primarily for upland work - but also for occasional trap or sporting clay use.

Apart from aesthetics and price - I have no idea of how to choose the 'right' shotgun for my needs.

How do you properly 'fit' a shotgun??
Is it a 'feel' thing??

Based on my experience with the makes/models above - are there any makes that might be more appropriate for me?

My thinking presently is towards a Citori - mostly on account of their popularity. I have never shot one, but have shouldered one. Felt alright to me - but how really do I truly know if a shotgun is a true and good 'fit' for me??

Apologies for (likely) a newb quest.
Certainly appreciate the feedback.
 
I'm sure there are methodical ways to fit a shotgun, but for me I usually just mount a few and see which one fits best. If I can mount and see down the barrel without moving my head up or down, that's the one that I'll pick.

Citori are nice guns, but they are heavy unless you get a feather weight, maybe a bit to carry around for upland.
 
Shogun Fitting

You can spend quite a bit of money having a shotgun professionally fitted. Earlier advice about just picking up various ones to see which "feels right" can work fine too, especially if you can test drive the shotgun and it shoots well for you.
I found an article on the internet a couple years ago, with credit to the author, who hopefully don't mind his advice being used on a forum.

"SHOTGUN SHOOTING LESSONS AND STOCK FITTING:

YOU KNOW I'M A STOCK FITTER. THE MOST DIFFICULT PROBLEM I RUN INTO WHEN FITTING A SHOTGUN STOCK IS; LOTS OF EXPERIENCED SHOOTERS HAVE A VERY POOR GUN MOUNT. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A GUN MOUNT THAT IS ACROSS THEIR BODY.
SIMPLY STATED. THE GUN WHEN MOUNTED IS ALMOST PARALLEL WITH THEIR CHEST. THIS CREATES SEVERAL PROBLEMS. FIRST: THE BUTT OF THE GUN IS POSITIONED ON THEIR ARM AND NOT ON THEIR SHOULDER. THE REASON FOR THIS IS, WHEN LOOKING OVER THE GUN IN THE ACROSS THE BODY POSITION THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE TO POSITION THE GUN BUT ON THE ARM. USUALLY SOMEWHERE NEAR THE SEAM OF THE SLEEVE OF THEIR SHIRT.
TO EXPLAIN THIS ANOTHER WAY, IF YOU ARE MOUNTING THE GUN ACROSS YOUR BODY AND STANDING SIDEWAYS, IF YOU'RE ARE A RIGHT HANDED SHOOTER AND YOU DROP YOUR RIGHT ARM TO YOUR SIDE THERE IS NO PLACE TO PUT THE GUN. LET'S SEE WHAT I CAN SUGGEST TO FIX IT.
BETTER YET LETS TALK ABOUT A GUN MOUNT THAT WORKS. WE'LL WORK WITH A RIGHT HANDED SHOOTER.
STAND IN WHAT WOULD BE YOUR RUNNING POSITION. FEET ABOUT SHOULDER WIDTH APART, LEFT FOOT SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF THE RIGHT. TOES POINTED TOWARD YOUR DESTINATION. THIS WOULD BE THE "ON YOUR MARK" POSITION IF YOU WERE ABOUT TO RUN.
THEN PUT YOUR HEAD SLIGHTLY OVER YOUR TOES IN YOUR "GET SET" POSITION. YOUR WEIGHT SHOUD BE PRETTY MUCH ON YOUR LEFT LEG AT THIS POINT, AND THE LEG SHOULD BE VERY SLIGHTLY BENT. PLACE THE GUN UNDER YOUR RIGHT CHEEK BONE BY LIFTING IT PARALLEL TO THE GROUND SO AS THE COMB OF THE STOCK TOUCHES YOUR CHEEK IT WILL BE UNDER IT, AND PARALLEL TO THE ANGLE OF THE CHEEK BONE.
LET THE STOCK TOUCH YOUR SHOULDER, JUST TO THE RIGHT OF YOUR COLLAR BONE. PLACE YOUR LEFT ARM SO YOUR LEFT HAND IS ABOVE YOUR LEFT TOE. THIS SHOULD PUT THE GUN ON AN IMAGINARY LINE FROM THE HEEL OF YOUR RIGHT FOOT TO THE TOE OF YOUR LEFT FOOT.
THEN SHRUG YOUR SHOULDERS TO RAISE THE STOCK TO TOUCH FIRMLY UNDER AND ALONG THE SAME LINE ON YOUR FACE AS YOUR CHEEK BONE.
LIFT YOUR LEFT HAND AND THE FRONT OF THE GUN SO THE TOP OF THE STOCK IS SNUG AND THERE IS A DEFINITE "STOP" UNDER YOUR CHEEK BONE. THIS WILL BRING THE GUN VERY CLOSE TO YOUR NOSE ON A LINE UNDER YOUR EARLOBE UNDER THE CHEEK BONE AND SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT OF THE END OF YOUR NOSE. THIS IS ABOUT THE SAME AS THE LINE FR0M YOUR RIGHT HEEL TO YOUR LEFT TOE.
TRY THIS. YOU'LL FIND IT MUCH EASIER TO LOOK OVER THE CENTER OF THE GUN. IT'S A GOOD START TO A PROPER GUN FIT. NOTE YOUR ELBOWS SHOULD BE ABOUT 45 DEGREES IN RELATION TO YOUR BODY. YOU DO NOT WANT THEM TOO HIGH. IT CAUSES UNNECESSARY STRAIN ON THE ARMS AND HINDERS FLUID MOVEMENT."
Jack Bart

It's a great sport and I hope you're successful finding and fitting a nice shotgun for yourself.
 
One way to go would be to get a gun with adjustable comb and butt pad, that way you will at least be able to adjust until it feels and shoots well.
 
practice mounting the gun with your eyes closed. Then open your eyes and see whether your eye is properly aligned with the bead. Do not move or twist your head. Ideally, the bead should be in the middle of the rib, and the riib should hardly be visible beneath the bead.

Do this multiple times until you find the gun that fits you the best.
 
Ahsan Ahmed said:
Proper gun fit will generally involve a few variables and may be best addressed via approaching someone (in person) qualified to offer constructive advise.
Click to expand...
The most helpful advice so far. Find someone who knows what they are doing and get their advice in person. Everyone is attempting to be helpful but it is impossible to give someone sensible fitting advice unless you can see them shoot.

A proper fitting involves a patterning board to determine whether the gun is shooting where you are looking. Stand 16 yards away from the board, mount the gun as you normally would and shoot. If the pattern lands where you are looking then the gun fits. If not then the stock needs some adjustments to zero in the gun. The video shows only one aspect of fit. The others are cast or bend (right or left) length of pull and pitch which is the angle of the butt relative to the muzzles.
 
I have been professionally fitted and now have my measurements. Another trick I've done is tape a small, straight-barreled flashlight to the barrel, mount with your eyes closed, and then see where the light is shining. Saves time at the board.
 
Between looch and pacobillie with there commentary on mounting the gun with closed eyes, and then assessing what you see when you open them is actually a very accurate and revealing method in determining how the gun is fitting you. At least in my humble opinion.

The trick to this is knowing what you looking at. If your looking down onto the rib the comb as the previous video states is high, the oposite if all you see is the start of the receiver. If your seeing the side of the barrel as well then there is a cast issue as well. Most target guns have some cast to the right to put the average mans eye in proper line with the bore. To check for cast set the heel of the stock on the floor holding the end of the barrel lightly in your right hand, take a step back and look down the barrels, receiver and butt stock. If the butt stock is in straight alignment with the barrels then the stock has no cast, if it veers to the right it is cast right. Most cast is to the right. Not all production run on of the mill stocks have cast. My Classic Double has cast, my Win SX-1 has none, for example.

When I try a different gun for fit I close my eye's and mount the gun, and then open them without moving any body parts especially the head. If everything is lined up nice then I know I could use this gun and probably hit something. If I have to start moving my head and scruntching my neck to look down the rib then I know that stock doesn't fit me.

Anyways my way of looking at shotgun stocks.
 
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